SAN SEBASTIAN, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Atletico Madrid were held to an entertaining 1–1 draw at Real Sociedad in LaLiga on Sunday, with Goncalo Guedes cancelling out Alexander Sorloth’s opener for the visitors in a five-minute spell after the break at Anoeta Stadium.
The result saw Atletico lose further ground in the title race and left them fourth on 38 points, level with third-placed Villarreal, who have two games in hand, but 11 points adrift of leaders Barcelona.
Real Sociedad climbed to 15th on 18 points, two clear of the relegation zone, in an encouraging first game under new coach Pellegrino Matarazzo.
"We're not happy, we wanted the three points," Atletico forward Giuliano Simeone said.
"I think they outplayed us in the first half in terms of intensity. They were very aggressive in their pressing and we didn't know how to break them down. We started the second half differently. We had chances but it wasn't to be."
In a high-tempo first half, Real briefly thought they had taken the lead in stoppage time when Sorloth turned a Carlos Soler free kick into his own net, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside.
Despite the hosts' pressure, Atletico struck five minutes after the restart when Simeone surged down the right flank and delivered a superb, pinpoint cross to the far post, where the unmarked Sorloth headed home to hand the visitors the lead.
Real hit back five minutes later when Guedes levelled with a powerful strike after a swift counterattack, sweeping home a precise cross from Takefusa Kubo following a well-worked move down the right.
Both sides had chances to snatch a late winner, with Jan Oblak denying Kubo twice, Antoine Griezmann failing to convert a one-on-one against Alex Remiro and Soler firing just wide in the dying moments.
"We prepared well. It's a shame we didn't get the win because on other days the opposition deserves more, but today we deserved more than them," Kubo said.
"Our fans noticed that the team is trying to change and move forward. We showed more desire than them."
Atletico next face bitter rivals Real Madrid on Thursday in the Spanish Super Cup semi-finals.
"This isn't enough. We have to analyse our mistakes and improve," Simeone added.
"Now we have to rest. There's not long to go until the next match. We have to focus on that match against Madrid."
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico CityEditing by Toby Davis)
